Combination urn and receptacle for refuse



Sept. 14, 1965 E. B. FELDMAN COMBINATION URN AND RECEPTACLE FOR REFUSE Filed March 4, 1964 6 NL E m Mmm 5 5" M MM? 5 z .8 2 S- I\M U uiq fi H a 0 /2 I. Z /B2D 2/ J m; EMA Wm M w INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,206,061 COMBINATION URN AND RECEPTA'CLE FOR REFUSE Edwin B. Feldman, Atlanta, Ga., assignor to Service Engineering Associates, 'Inc., Atlanta, (521., a corporation of Georgia Filed Mar. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 349,355 3 Claims. (C1. 220-88) This invention relates to receptacles, such as those disposed in public places to receive refuse. Such refuse may include trash such as discarded newspapers, paper cartons, cigarette and cigar butts and burnt matches. Quite frequently the cigarette or cigar butts and the stems of matches are smouldering when deposited in such receptacles and ignite the paper and other flammable refuse in the receptacles, causing fires which damage or destroy the receptacles and may require the efforts of firemen to extinguish the fires. At other times, spontaneous combustion may take place in such refuse.

An important object of this invention is to provide means for separating discarded cigarette and cigar butts and burnt matches from the other refuse in receptacles.

Another important object of this invention is to provide means consisting of a combination urn, for receiving discarded cigarette or cigar butts and matches, and a receptacle, associated therewith for receiving other refuse, such as discarded newspapers, paper and other flammable material, which receptacle also supports the urn and, together, form a unitary two-compartment refuse receptacle.

Still another important object of this invention is to provide an urn constructed and arranged to contain a flame-quenching material which will extinguish the smouldering flames of cigarette or cigar butts, for example, deposited in the um and, in the event of combustion taking place in the refuse receptacle containing discarded newspapers and the like, will be released from the um and drop upon the flames within the refuse receptacle.

Yet another important object of this invention is to provide simple and inexpensive means to accomplish the purpose next above described, without the employment of delicate instruments such as thermostats, or other electrical components, springs, latches or the like. The means referred to has another function, since it bars cigarette butts or the like, deposited in the urn, from passing to the refuse receptacle for discarded newspapers and the like. However, in the event there is a fire in the refuse receptacle, the extinguished butts, etc. in the urn will pass to the refuse compartment but, being impregnated or covered by the flame-quenching material, will not ignite.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a portion of this disclosure, and in which drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front side elevational view of one form of the combination urn and receptacle of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof with the combination um and receptacle of FIG. 1 rotated 180 and on a scale enlarged over that of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the combination of FIGS. 1 and 2, and on the scale 'of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the uncovered urn of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a modified form of the invention, the modification being embodied in the urn.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration are shown the two embodiments given by way of example, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A designates the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive and comprises the urn B and receptacle C, which urn is shown to contain a flame-quenching material D; the letter B designates the form of the invention shown by way of example in FIG. 5, and comprises the urn F and receptacle G, and may contain the flame-quenching material H.

The combination urn and receptacle A or D may be of metal or partly of metal and hardened flame-proof or flame-resistant plastic material. However, both forms illustrated also embody fusible material which will melt under heat as will be described.

The urn B of the combination urn and receptacle A comprises an upper or cover section 10 and a lower or basin section 11.

Since the upper or cover section 10 of the urn B and the upper or cover section 10 of the urn F of the combined urn and receptacle E are preferably alike, an exponent will be used as herein to designate parts of the latter corresponding with parts of the upper or cover section 10.

The upper or cover sections 10 and 10 each includes a dome-shaped housing 12 or 12 as the case may be, terminating at their lower end portions in an offset vertical flange 13 or 13', as the case may be, and a downwardly facing interior shoulder 14 or 14, as the case may be. The housings 12 and 12' are provided with one or more small openings 15 or 15', as the case may be, of a size to permit a cigarette or cigar butt or match stem to pass through, but will not accommodate wads of paper, discarded newspapers and other more bulky material. In the example shown, in FIG. 4, there are four spaced-apart openings 15.

The lower or basin section 11 of the urn B includes a tubular side wall 20 provide with a substantially vertical offset flange 21 which defines a downwardly facing shoulder 22. The section 11 is also provided with a preferably horizontal, bottom portion comprising a flange 23 extending from the side wall 20 and having a centrally disposed opening 24 closed by a relatively thin disc closure 25, the upper edge portion of which fits within the opening 24 and is secured to the bottom wall 23 as by solder 26.. The sections 10 and 11 define a chamber 27.

The disc closure 25 is of suitable fusible material.

Since fusible material also constitutes a portion of the lower section of the urn F, this material may be, in. each case, any suitable rigid one which will not permit the flame quenching material D or H to pass therethrough. The fusible material may be, by way of example, one of so-called white metals being alloys, having relatively low melting points, usually containing mainly lead, tin or antimony as the chief component. I prefer an alloy containing lead which alloy melts at substantially 238 C. Others which may be employed are the alloys containing bismuth as the major constituent, which melt at between 70 and C. Even various aluminum alloys, melting at around 400 to 700 C. may be used. These alloys will melt quickly when induced by the heat of flames which may result from the combustion of paper and other combustibles ordinarily contained in refuse or trash receptacles. Such heat ranges between 1500 and 2000 C.

A thickness for the closure 25 may be, by way of example, inch.

The upper or cover section 10 rests upon the lower or basin section 11 with the shoulder 14 disposed upon the upper rim of the side wall 20, with the flange 13 contacting the outer face of the wall 20, substantially as shown in FIG. 2.

The receptacle C may be of any approved shape, and the receptacle G may be of similar shape. Reference numerals followed by an exponent designate parts of the receptacle G corresponding with those of the re ceptacle C. In the example, shown, there is an upwardlyextending tubular housing wall 30 or 30' which is preferably closed at its lower end as by a conventional bottom wall, and a truncated dome-like upper housing portion 31 or 31 which may be releasably mounted upon the wall 30 or 30, as the case may be, and the upper opening therein is defined by an edge 33 or 33', as the case may be. Within either chamber 32 or 32' defined by the wall 30 or 30, may be a removable container 34 or 34. The upper housing portions 31 or 31 is provided with a refuse-receiving mouth or opening, such as the mouth or opening 35 of FIG. 2, common to both forms of the invention, and this opening may be closed, as by a door 36 (also common to both forms and generally associated with refuse receptacles). The container 34 or 34 may be removed by lifting the truncated dome-like housing portion 31 or 31 from the tubular housing wall 30 or 30' and lifting the container therefrom.

To mount the urn B upon the receptacle C, the shoulder 22 of the former is disposed upon the edge 33.

The flame quenching material D may be any suitable fluent one which will quickly drop into the container 33 or 33 upon melting or fusing of the fusible material. The material D may be Water or sand, for example.

The combination urn and receptacle E, which comprises the urn F and receptacle G, is shown more particularly in FIG. 5, but as stated above, the upper or cover section is preferably substantially like the upper or cover section 10 and both function in the same way.

As for the lower or basin section 40 of the urn F, the same includes a tubular side wall 41 provided with a substantially vertical offset flange 42 which defines a downwardly facing shoulder 43, both functioning as the flange 21 and shoulder 22. However, the section 40 is provided with an inwardly-extending substantially horizontal flange 44 intermediate the upper and lower ends of the side wall 41 but preferably adjacent the lower end thereof. There is provided a disc closure 45 closing the opening at the bottom of the section 40, abutting the lower face of the flange 44 and releasably held in place by suitable fusible material 46 which tightly contacts the edge portion of the closure 45 and the adjacent inner face of the wall 41 to form a fluent material-tight seal. Upon a rise in temperature within the compartment of the receptacle G, this fusible material 46 will melt and release the flamequenching material H within the urn F, to quench the flames within the compartment, as has been detailed above in connection with the combination um and receptacle C.

The urn F may be mounted upon or removed from the receptacle G exactly like the urn B is mounted or removed from the receptacle C.

With either the combination urn and receptacle A or E set up, it is obivous that the small openings 15 or 15 will not admit insertion in the urns of any sizable or bulky refuse but invite the insertion of cigarette or cigar butts and burnt matches. These will drop upon or into the flame-quenching material D or H and, if still smouldering, will be quenched or burn out. Heat caused by smouldering butts or match stems is not sufiicient to melt the fusible material of thebottom walls or closures of the urn lower or basin sections. On the other hand, the relatively large opening in the dome-like upper housing portions 31 or 31' suggests that bulky refuse should be inserted therethrough.

It-will be noted that both forms A and E of the combination urn and receptacle include a receptacle C or G for bulky refuse having a wall 30 or 30' defining an upwardly opening mouth or 35' and a bulky refuse receiving compartment 32 or 32' below and in communication with the mouth, and an urn B or F carried by the receptacle C or G and having a bottom portion comprising the elements 23, 25 and 26 or 44, and 46, with the elements 25 and 46 eing of fusible material, and these bottom portions providing bottoms for the urns and covers for the mouths 35 or 35' as well as supports for the flame-quenching means D or H.

Various changes in the 'forms of the invention herein shown may be made as to size, shape and arrangement without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination cigar and cigarette butts-receiving urn and a refuse-receiving receptacle, said receptacle having a wall defining an upwardly-opening mouth, a bulky refusereceiving compartment in commuication with said mouth, and an opening in said wall and spaced from said mouth for the passage therethrough and into said compartment of bulky refuse; and an urn releasably mounted upon said receptacle and releasably closing said mouth, said urn comprising an uppermost cover section and a lowermost basin section, said uppermost cover section having a buttreceiving opening above and spacedfrom said lowermost basin section, a substantially vertical flange 'atits lower end and a downwardly-facing shoulder inwardly of said flange, and said lowermost basin section having an upstanding wall defining a mouth and anedge, with said shoulder disposed upon said edge and said flange embracing a portion of said upstanding wall adjacent said shoulder, a bottom wall, said upstanding and bottom walls defining a compartment for containing fluent flamequenching means disposed upon said bottom wall, and means for releasing at least a portion of said bottom wall to fall into said first compartment to provide an opening from the first-named compartment to the second-named compartment, upon the kindling of said refuse into flames in said first-named compartment, the last-named opening being of sufiicient size to permit said flame-quenching means and butts within said urn to fall by gravity into said first-named compartment, comprising fusible material normally releasably retaining at least said portion of said bottom wall from falling into said first-named compartment.

2. Thecombination as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said bottom wall consists of a central disc and an outer flange carried by said upstanding wall, and said fusible material forms a ring uniting the periphery of said disc to the periphery of the last-named flange.

3. The combination as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said bottom wall is a disc and said fusible material is a ring uniting the periphery of said disc to said upstanding wall.

References Cited by the'Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A COMBINATION CIGAR AND CIGARETTE BUTTS-RECEIVING URN AND A REFUSE-RECEIVING RECEPTACLE, SAID RECEPTACLE HAVING A WALL DEFINING AN UPWARDLY-OPENING MOUTH, A BULKY REFUSERECEIVING COMPARTMENT IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID MOUTH AND AN OPENING IN SAID WALL AND SPACED FROM SAID MOUTH FOR THE PASSAGE THERETHROUGH AND INTO SAID COMPARTMENT OF BULKY REFUSE; AND AN URN RELEASABLY MOUNTED UPON SAID RECEPTACLE AND RELEASABLY CLOSING SAID MOUTH, SAID URN COMPRISING AN UPPERMOST COVER SECTION AND A LOWERMOST BASIN SECTION, SAID UPPERMOST COVER SECTION HAVING A BUTTRECEIVING OPENING ABOVE AND SPACED FROM SAID LOWERMOST BASIN SECTION, A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL FLANGE AT ITS LOWER END AND A DOWNWARDLY-FACING SHOULDER INWARDLY OF SAID FLANGE, AND SAID LOWERMOST BASIN SECTION HAVING AN UPSTANDING WALL DEFINING A MOUTH AND AN EDGE, WITH SAID SHOULDER DISPOSED UPON SAID EDGE AND SAID FLANGE EMBRACING A PORTION OF SAID UPSTANDING WALL ADJACENT SAID SHOULDER, A BOTTOM WALL, SAID UPSTANDING AND BOTTOM WALLS DEFINING A COMPARTMENT FOR CONTAINING FLUENT FLAMEQUENCHING MEANS DISPOSED UPON SAID BOTTOM WALL, AND MEANS FOR RELEASING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID BOTTOM WALL TO FALL INTO SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT TO PROVIDE AN OPENING FROM THE FIRST-NAMED COMPARTMENT TO THE SECOND-NAMED COMPARTMENT, UPON THE KINDLING OF SAID REFUSE INTO FLAMES IN SAID FIRST-NAMED COMPARTMENT, THE LAST-NAMED OPENING BEING OF SUFFICIENT SIZE TO PERMIT SAID FLAME-QUENCHING MEANS AND BUTTS WITHIN SAID URN TO FALL BY GRAVITY INTO SAID FIRST-NAMED COMPARTMENT, COMPRISING FUSIBLE MATERIAL NORMALLY RELEASABLY RETAINING AT LEAST SAID PORTION OF SAID BOTTOM WALL FROM FALLING INTO SAID FIRST-NAMED COMPARTMENT. 